Mark Fenn - Sports Massage Therapist

There are many benefits to sports massage and they are individual to the person.

Some appointments I provide are due to how someone feels physically and mentally post massage.

Appointments can be pre or post event.

A doctor, consultant or health professional may of recommend sports massage.

Some might have soreness and looking for ways to manage and progress.

Daily life can take its toll leaving us feeling like we don’t move as well as we should or next is tender.

The who, why, how often and how to manage the time between appointments makes every appointment unique.

Have a question or would like to book an appointment? Drop me a message.

Mark

Sports massage is often be seen or thought about as being hands on and on a massage couch.

The purpose for the sports massage might need more time talking about the reason and looking at all options.

This week several appointments required time helping clients learn and develop knowledge on how to get more from their gym based sessions while using a leg press, leg extension and leg curl from seat position to reps, sets and time under tension.

Optimising the set up of an exercise is key to each set completed. The load, reps, sets and recover need to be managed because we might be training hard, the outcome should be positive but it could leave you sore in muscles we shouldn’t be.

The massage will help but if we don’t look at possible reasons we go round on circles.

This week I have appointments mid morning and late afternoon alongside Saturday and Sunday.

Have a question or need some advice? Drop me a message and let’s see what we can do.

Mark

Week Commencing 24th July 2023

My advice is always to plan ahead when looking to book a sports massage appointment as often same day or next day are very rarely available but always worth asking.

This coming week I have limited availability for am appointments and only a couple of PM.

Saturday and Sunday available am & pm.

If you have a question or would like to book an appointment please contact me and let’s see what we can do.

Mark

The body is a great healer if we look after it.

Sports massage and many other methods can help something feel better and work to make it better but let’s not neglect the body sometimes needs a little tlc while it heals itself.

Lifestyle will play the biggest role to how well our bodies respond to various circumstances because lifestyle is unique to the individual and is 24/7.

When something feels better that’s great but we still need to build and progress at a % best for you and be willing to adapt along the way.

One of the most common post massage reviews I get is I can still feel it.

Even before a sports massage I will discuss the benefits as well as helping to manage expectations.

Our bodies are amazing but they are not machines that a bit of WD40 or a torque wrench is going to fix.

I will ask questions pre massage

I will ask questions during the appointment

I will offer advice post massage

The key to any appointment is the person and the why. From there we can build the bigger picture.

Weekly Update.

As we head into June a have the following availability.

Saturday 3rd AM
Sunday 4th Afternoon
Monday 5th AM
Wednesday 6th AM
Saturday 10th AM
Sunday 11th AM & Afternoon.

June 12th onward please contact me for details on availability.

The details provided are accurate at the point of posting and will change daily.

Any questions let me know

Mark

Let’s look deeper into the WHAT & WHY.

Sometimes a sports massage review is required to help progress.

Post sports massage review:

A small % of the sports massage appointments I provide are a turn up, provide sports massage and a message a few days later to check in is all that is required.

For most sports massage appointments a post massage massage review is required, this might be to confirm in writing what was spoken about, advised and options to progress.

This type of review is to help post massage so we don’t go round in circles where the sports massage provides a good outcome but quickly the soreness, discomfort and even pain returns.

I can provide details on exercises which I may of prescribed, shown and this helps to remember the details.

A second appointment might be required to go through these exercises in more detail.

It’s for this reason I ask lots of questions to the WHO, WHAT & WHY.

Have a question or would like to book a sports massage? Drop me a message and let’s talk things through.

Pre event massage is not always a good idea.

Let me explain, I’m not saying we shouldn’t but what is important is developing knowledge on the outcome.

Example.

12 weeks out from race day a massage was completed. For 1-2 training sessions after they felt flat, lethargic but session 3 onwards felt good and clear benefits. This is not unusual.

We will now plan a sports massage within each phase and learn about outcomes.

At present we aim to do pre event massage with several sessions to complete before the big day.

My advise is if we are going to use sports massage pre or post event then make them part of the whole process not an add on.

Have a question? Drop me a message

Sports massage can often be a last minute decision. We have some soreness or feeling aches and discomfort.

Although on the odd occasion I may have a last minute appointment so always worth the question. What will be important is why the urgency? If your taking medicine for the discomfort or pain then I will offer further advice and guidance.

For appointments I would recommend planning ahead as most weeks I only have a couple of appointments available and at present these are mid morning.

Not sure if sports massage is for you or will help with the reason your considering it?

Drop me a message and let’s have a chat.

With Manchester Marathon just gone and London Marathon this coming week I had as always last minute messages for sports massage which raise a few questions to why booking last minute.

My question is at this point.

“Has sports massage been part of the marathon plan?”

This will help understand the how and why.

If sports massage has been part of the plan and been used at set points we understand how the individual responds and over time learn about the various techniques that bring outcomes. This then helps provide pre event massage.

If sports massage has not been part of the plan and is all last minute caution is required.

We will be providing sports massage at the end of a 12-16 week if not longer training plan which has progressed and see the body challenged to cope with volume, intensity and recovery.

We don’t know how the individual will respond and then they will go into the marathon within a week.

For me the massage is part of the plan and would be booked in advance so to work with the taper ready for the big day.

Sports massage is more than just a massage when part of the pre event taper.

Planning ahead will also make sure the appointment is available as last minute this may not be the case.

It’s an interesting topic which is based around the who, why and when.

Week Commencing 13th Feb 2023

This coming week I have:

wed/thur/Fri appointments available at 11:30

Tue 20:00
We’d 20:30

Sat/Sun please message me for availability.

For those looking to have sports massage as a pre event/race/challenge therapy I would advise you have a sports massage within your training leading up to it so you can learn about how it affects you. How you feel not just afterwards for a few days but within the training you complete.

If you have soreness and it’s high on the scale of 1-10 5+ it’s often good to let it settle for a day or 2.

Have a question or would like to book please message me as these appointments will get booked quickly.

The WHO & WHY will determine the approach.

A % of my work is providing sports massage for those that include it within their training overview/program and for those who enjoy what a sports massage provides both mentally and physically.

The moment an appointment is requested due to soreness or pain the direction needs to change because yes the sports massage may help to make it feel better but if we are regularly doing something that aggravates and we ignore it we are just going round in circles.

Post massage it feels better
Aggregate it
Have a massage

This is not managing the process or working to improve it.

Often I will get asked for same day appointments due to soreness, discomfort or pain and it’s important before we dive into any approach let’s discuss the WHY because sometimes my advice will be let it settle for a day or 2 because the score you gave it is high at present and we want the best outcome we can.

We will not just discuss lifestyle but also how to progress, adapt and how to self manage.

I fully appreciate it can be frustrating because you want to have it looked at, massaged etc but rushing may just leave you going round in circles or could make it worse.

Many of us live in a world of convenience which does not allow us to develop being patient but health and fitness will require patience as there are no short cuts.

Looking to book a sports massage or have a question? Drop me a massage and let’s discuss your options.

I fully understand and promote the benefits of sports massage not just to those who have sports massage as part of their training routine but also for those that feel the benefits and help manage the affects daily life puts on us.

It is important though we understand the benefits, the outcomes while discussing all other areas of life.

Yesterday the first 15 minutes of an appointment held the most value and no hands in therapy was provided.

The consultation raised a few questions about the present gym plan being followed.

The plan was good, how it was being followed was good and if there wasn’t an issue then it may not of required being discussed and looking at adaptions.

We changed and adapted the deadlift so when using a standard bar we used blocks to lift the bar up as the depth needed adaption and over time we will work on lifting from the floor if we need to.

We also introduced the hex bar to provide a dead lift option with handles up, the loading position is different than standard bar and options a good alternative.

The back squat we have spoken about using a T bar over straight bar because there is slot of stress in this back squat position which I want to remove and over time we can work to improve mobility.

We have also looked looked at a heel elevated goblet squat and this was a game changer which my client enjoyed moving through a deeper squat, working time under tension legs felt the load and the upper body braces well with the movement.

The massage provided did and will provide short term benefit but without addressing daily life and this includes training the benefits from the massage would soon be lost and within weeks my client not training because of how they feel.

It’s not about stopping what we do but adapt and progress.

A very rewarding session for both myself and client.